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Subject: 12/03/92 - The National Midnight Star #575
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
The National Midnight Star, Number 575
Thursday, 3 December 1992
Today's Topics:
YYZ/CD/2nd fave
Money (Big and little)
Mystic Rhythms
Re: 12/02/92 - The National Midnight Star #574
MP Gold Disk
_Run From the Fans_, etc.
Pape and Danforth / That CD Thing
about Wals...
Re: Mystic Rythms
Various Followups
Various unrelated ramblings (32 lines)
Danforth, Pape, and other things
Baseball Signals
NMS Convention ?
videos (Chron & Camera Eye), AFTK, religion
whoa!
Re: Religion/Freewill/Roll the Bones (long)
stuff
Eric Jung's Bass Ramblings & Cygnus X-1
Weapons and Black Holes
oops!
Welp...
Big bands
Shirts and compliation
NMS Tapes & Shirts
Signals and others
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1992 20:16:41 -0500
From: Christopher Williams <chrisw@brahms.udel.edu>
Subject: YYZ/CD/2nd fave
1) The B-man's book CLEARLY states that the cracking noise in YYZ is a
piece of plywood smacked againsyt a chair.
2) People have been suggesting we ask permission from the record company
to put this CD together. This is a DANGEROUS move. It is akin to asking
a bank if it's OK to rob it. (Don't get me wrong, I like the whole idea,
but we should just start out and put the puppy together.)
3) 2nd favorite band: depends on my mood
1st favorite band: see above
But don't worry, Rush is in the top ten at all times! :)
--Jeremy
"This world ain't big enough for two, and I've got my sights on you."
--Extreme, 1992
----------------------------------------------------------
From: calexan1@eos.ncsu.edu
Subject: Money (Big and little)
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 92 20:55:53 EST
Just curious....
I managed to pick up a 12" radio single of The Big Money for $0.25 (God I love
cheap record stores!) that is pre-Pow (it's really cool - the sleeve says "The
Big Money" from the forthcoming RUSH album Power Windows.)
Which got me thinking - is there any reliable source to check the value of
such items as this? i.e. promotion items that the general public is not
supposed to have but does, the really old singles, boots, whatever. I don't
care really (I got my quarter's worth out of it), but I was curious. Also,
does anyone have any way of finding out how many copies of an album were
pressed to vinyl? I'm interested especially in the later albums (post CD era
things like RTB), especially because I'm having a devil of a time finding
Presto on vinyl. (If you know where I can get it...e-mail me, please????)
Thanx guys et gals!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Alexander |"We need, in love, to practice only this:
calexan1@eos.ncsu.edu | letting each other go."
| -Rainer Maria Rilke
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Mystic Rhythms
Date: Wed, 2 Dec 92 19:17:40 PST
From: jason@jarthur.Claremont.EDU!
>>>>> Matthew James McDonald <mjm40@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu> writes:
[lyrics deleted]
> More things than are dreamed about
> Unseen and unexplained
> We suspend our disbelief
> We are entertained
> but I wonder how other folks interpret "Mystic Rhythms"?
I'm not familiar with this song (I don't have Power Windows yet), but the
line "More things than are dreamed about" reminds me quite directly of a
line from _Hamlet_:
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in our philosophy."
This line, of course, refers to Hamlet's and Horatio's recent encounter
with the ghost of Hamlet's father.
BUT ANYWAY...I interpret the lyrics as saying that there may well be
something beyond what we know, but in more of an "eastern mysticism" or New
Age sense than a Christian one. It doesn't seem to me that Neil is
actually espousing New Age doctrine (he's not one to espouse anyone's
doctrine but his own), but expressing his feeling that it is possible that
such things might exist. This interpretation is probably colored by my own
opinions in this matter; I think that such things as auras are possible,
but without any personal experience with them I can't decide one way or
another.
--
Jason Merrill jason@jarthur.claremont.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 92 22:17:38 EDT
From: Jon <JEPSTEIN@Kentvm.Kent.edu>
Subject: Re: 12/02/92 - The National Midnight Star #574
Just a quick response to the question about Signals. I've been listening
to Rush since 1975 and have been a strong supporter of all their work (yes even
RUSH). I liked Signals very much but it doesn't compare to Moving Pictures
(by far their best work) or to Perm Waves ( Also a great album).
IMHO the last 4 Rush albums have not lived up to their past work. In fact
I find Roll the Bones to be virtually unlistenable (sorry). That being said,
I still consider them far better than most bands around. The only band I have
seen that matchs them for intensity Live (and I've been to 16 shows) is
queensryche. I think they would be doing themselves a big favor if they
let Alex have his distortion pedal back....
Later,
Jon
----------------------------------------------------------
From: jewright@mtu.edu (JASON WRIGHT)
Subject: MP Gold Disk
Date: Wed, 2 Dec 92 22:55:26 EST
Howdy,
I was wondering about something....
A few days ago I was in a record store in Roseville, MI when I happened to come
upon a copy of the Moving Pictures gold disk for the first time. I looked it
over of course, and happened to notice that, on the song list on the disk
ifself, Barchetta was misspelled "Barchette." It just so happens that it was
spelled correctly on the back of the package. Weird. Are they all printed
like this? Seems like a major release like this would have been checked for
errors. Oh well. Maybe I should have bought the damn thing.
By the way, my other favorite groups are (subject to daily change)
2. Metallica/Dream Theater (tie)
3. Nine Inch Nails
4. Nitzerebb
5. Guns 'n Roses
(I could go on all night, but I won't...)
Later...
-PeeWee
PeeWee's 1st rule of integration: When all else fails, get a bigger hammer!
What crawls on maggots when they die?
Email: jewright@mtu.edu Phone: (313) 656-0900
Math undergrad - Michigan Technological University
"The worst sex I ever had was still pretty good." -Woody Allen
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1992 00:21:29 -0500 (EST)
From: Ethan Evan Prater <prater@YALE.EDU>
Subject: _Run From the Fans_, etc.
To MOLIVA (is that your name?), who asked about the live recording
entitled Run From the Fans --
It is a boot from the the New Orleans show on 23 February 1992. Your disc
probably says "Dedicated To The Friendly Staff At The U.N.O. Lakefront
Arena. Thanks For The Pictures." (not U.M.O.) I believe this is an
abbreviation for the University of New Orleans. There is at least one
other master of this same concert out there; I have a two disc set called
_Mardi Gras_ that has everything but the encore. The Mardi Gras boot is an
audience recording, but a very good one. RFtF, though, has the best sound
quality of any boot I've ever heard, including _Over the Europe_, but some
songs often seem slowed down, especially "Ghost of a Chance". When I first
heard "GoaC" on that disc I was very excited that they had decided to play the
song in a different key from usual, but I later realized that there must
have been a problem with the machine used to record the show. (Thanks,
Gregg, for setting me straight on this.)
But Run From the Fans is definitely worth buying on CD, even with the
slowdowns. You can get it for less than $34.95 if you shop around. If
anyone's interested, mail me; I know a place that has it for $19.
Brief unrelated question -- re: Red Lenses. What is Geddy saying over his
bass jam at the very end of the song, while it's fading? Can someone who
has more sensitive speakers than mine figure it out?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Ethan Evan Prater | "The sign of Eth is rising in the air..."
|
prater@yale.edu | -- Rush -- By-Tor and the Snow Dog --
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
----------------------------------------------------------
From: jaha@cs.bu.edu (Todd Ginsberg)
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 00:55:31 -0500
Subject: Pape and Danforth / That CD Thing
Hi all! This is my first letter to the newsletter!
Somebody was mentioning that Pape and Danforth was a real intersection
in Toronto (I'm sorry, I forget your name). As it turns out, my mother
grew up only 5 blocks away (on Arundel if you know the area). We go
there every summer for our vacation and I thought that I would take a
walk down to Pape and Danforth to see if I could find anything interesting.
I found 3 banks and a rather new looking resturant. I looked down Pape a
bit and didn't find anyhting that struck me as important (a bar that they
might have played in or a music shop). I know that Alex and Geddy grew
up in Toronto and thought that maybe they grew up there, but have since
heard that they didn't (I'm sorry, I can't remember the exact area
that they did grow up in). So, that is all I know about Pape and Danforth.
About that CD thang (must say as "thang", I think it sounds better).
I agree with those who think that we should put some things on it that we
don't all have. I wouldn't want to buy a CD of things that I have on other
widely sold albums. Maybe things off of CDs like "Over The Europe" (sorry
if that is not the real title, I'm really tired) and other such CDs.
I agree with Greg Stark when he says that his favorite Rush period is
La Villa and The Trees. I like the longer songs as well. How about
we make a list of all the songs that we could want and send out another
one of those voting ballots? We could make a giant list of boots that
are out there and what is on them. Eliminate the duplicates on the list, and
eliminate the songs that are already out there (such as things on ESL or
ASOH).
Thanks for reading,
Todd Ginsberg
Boston University
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 09:38:15 -0500
From: "Eric A. Furie" <eafurie@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Subject: about Wals...
Hi all,
Just thought I'd drop by to confirm a few things. First off, whoever
wrote that the Wals go for US$10,000, you're a little low from what I've heard
and seen. But it is somewhere around there. I've seen more like US$12-15,000!
I'm not I'd pay that much for that sound, as sweet as it is. Of course, Ged
probably has no problem that way.
Second, and last, I guess, I also got Run From the Fans. Bought it
at Needham Music in Needham, MA. I am unclear as to whether the owner had more
but I have also seen it advertised in Goldmine (the music collector's mag). I
am not sure I agree with the rave reviews given yesterday, but it is pretty
sweet. It seems to sound a little muffled sometimes, but I guess that makes it
seem more live (???). Great fades from one song into another, like on the fall
leg of their tour for RTB. Oh well, guess that's 'bout it!
Later...
-Eric
eafurie@csa.bu.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
From: gjr@st-andrews.ac.uk (Graham James Reilly)
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 14:18:46 GMT
Subject: Re: Mystic Rythms
I don't think this is about God at all really. Its more the overall
overwhelming grandeur of, like, the Universe, man. The feelings he is
describing in the song are the same as those I have been trying to put into
words for years and the only phrase I ever came across that did them justice
was 'mystic rythms.' JUst imagine being out on a being out on a beach late at
night when the air is cool, the sky is perfectly clear and there's no
artificial light anywhere. Looking uo into the sky and just taking it all
in. Its THAT feeling ( as far as I can tell ) that he is talking about.
I've always thought that MR had a lot in common with Available Light and
Scars. The latter is more a specification of the general ideas presented in
MR, while the phrase "I want to look at life, in the available light" just
says it all really.
You'd never guess it but MR is one of my favourite songs.
Wow, this is all so cosmic, man. Time to smoke some herbs ...
[ PLEASE use < 80 characters per line! : rush-mgr ]
Dylan
"Mystic rythms, capture my thoughts, carry them away.
Nature seems to spin a supernatural way."
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: 03 Dec 1992 10:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: "R. ALAN MONROE" <RCBI110@MARSHALL.MU.WVNET.EDU>
Subject: Various Followups
> Just thought I'd share a story about "The Twilight Zone." I had owned the
>whisper behind me - "You have entered the twilight zone." I jumped up! "What
>the hell is that?" I yelled. Because of where I was sitting in relation to
>the speakers, it sounded like there was someone behind me in my room. That was
>a very scary few seconds! While I'm on the subject, someone recently mentioned
When I first heard The Twilight Zone, I heard the whispering just fine, that
was no big deal, but when Alex hits that Wicked Harmonic(tm) in the solo, and
it is mixed in extra loud with lots of chorus, I swore for a few seconds that
the smoke detector was going off! Scared me quite a bit!
>the human body -- head, arms, and legs. Somewhere along the line the
>symbol was inverted and adopted by some Satanists, why I don't know.
Because it resembles a goat head. There may be other reasons too, who knows.
>At the risk of third degree burns, I'd like to say that Signals is
>_NOT_ one of my favorite albums.... in fact it is second from the
>bottom after "RUSH" (of course I still like them both VERY much, and in
>fact, Digital Man and Analog Kid are two of my very favorite songs!)
I love Signals. Amazingly though, I don't care for two of its "hits", Digital
Man, and New World Man. Those songs don't interest me musically at all, but I
like all the other songs on it a lot.
My least favorite album side is the back side of 2112. Tears has to be the
worst Rush song ever. The first time I heard the violins, I almost threw up or
laughed myself silly at the same time, the violins are just so, tacky,
musak-ish. Ugh! My other Rush song that I can't stand is Circumstances from
the back side of Hemispheres.
I _would_ like to be able to play the low, resounding piano parts on Different
Strings though.
(( || /\\ \\ / /\\ (( R. Alan Monroe (( I'm not an actor, ((
)) _// /--\\ \\/ /--\\ )) rcbi110@muvms3.wvnet.edu )) but I play one ))
(( _ (( (( on T... Hey!! ((
)) || /\\ // ||_/ )) Pinkwater Rules! )) Who wrote this ))
(( _// /--\\ \\_ || \ (( :^) (( script!?!?! -me ((
----------------------------------------------------------
From pbryant@hawk.cs.ukans.edu Thu Dec 3 11:20:18 1992
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1992 10:20:10 CST
Subject: Various unrelated ramblings (32 lines)
rwschw@mail.wm.edu said:
> Also, Stephen Hawkins name is not spelled hawking.
^ ^
My copy of "A Brief History..." says "Hawking". No flames here, just hope
I have a rare and valuable misprint :)
The Whip: I agree with Jeffrey Lee Helman that the whip sound is a
wooden percussionists "whip", although we always called it the "clapper"
Neil seems to take the traditional approach when possible, so I doubt
he improvised.
Signals: This is my favorite Rush CD. I got into Rush only when Signals
came out, and from then bought backwards. It has such a fresh sound.
I can't help but picture some Rush disks with a heavy dark cloud over them.
Of course, I credit Signals with eventually leading me into computer science,
so maybe it's just a personal fondness for it rather than the music.
PRS Guitars: Can someone please *e-mail* me info on PRS guitars? I'd like
to try them out before I go ahead and get a Strat.
Rush CD's (store version): Why is it that Rush CD's like 2112 and MP are
always found in the "bargain bin" for $9.99? I'm glad they are inexpensive,
but there's something fishy about grouping MP with Alabama's debut album
and the soundtrack to "Grease".
Next CD: So, what do you think the theme of the next Rush disk will be?
Do you think Neil will write about Somalia and Yugoslavia, or consider
those to be short-term issues and leave them alone? For some reason,
I keep expecting the new theme to be ......... "Poultry"!
rush-mgr: Thanks for the recent interview with Neil! Very interesting.
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1992 11:29 EST
From: The Jungleman <JUNG%ITHACA.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Danforth, Pape, and other things
Chad- Concerning Danforth & Pape. I discovered this intersection purely by
accident many years ago while looking at a map of Toronto. You can bet your
Midnight Star that I stood on that corner the very next time I went to
Toronto.
Unfortunately, I have nothing interesting to report. The intersection is in
the Greek section of Toronto (I didn't even know there WAS a Greek section).
There are many Greek restaurants, Greek grocery stores, and lots of Greek
writing. The only semi-interesting building appears to be a bank which is not
quite on the intersection, but not far away.
My guess is that something happened to Lifeson on that corner. Maybe an inside
joke. Maybe something important. The song itself (LA VILLA) is based upon a
dream that Lifeson had (which was recurring). Perhaps something happens to him
in the dream at Danforth & Pape. Who knows!
Maskulla- (forgive the mispelling)
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me what they are saying in "The Camera Eye". I can't
make it out and never have been able to. If you don't want all of TNMS to know,
could you e-mail it to me? JUNG@ITHACA is the address (on BITNET).
Does anyone have a copy of a Rush bootleg from circa 1974 recorded in Electric
Ladyland studios? Rush had released their first album, but Fly By Night had not
yet come out. I *had* a copy of this lying around somewhere, but can't seem to
find it anymore! UGH!
There is a Beatle's cover that they do -- "Bad Boy" -- definately not one of
the Beatle's more popular song. In fact, I've never heard the Beatles perform
it...has anyone?? (I'm not a Beatles fan). I've only heard Rush perform it on
this tape and they Ged says, "We're gonna try to get things moving in here.
This is a song the Beatles did a few years ago. It's called Bad Boy..."
The bootleg is hysterical to listen to because there are about 5 people who
clap between songs. They play songs which, as Ged puts it,
be on their next album (which we now know to be Fly By Night)...he even messes
up the lyrics in Fly By Night.
Anyway, if anyone has this I would kill for a copy! I'll send you $ or cassette
>....reply to JUNG@ITHACA
Thanks!
#1 Band: RUSH
#2 Band: TRIUMPH
-Eric Jung "Canadian Wanna-Be"
"Throw off those chains of Reason and your Prison disappears." -N.P., 1978
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1992 12:07:56 -0500
From: cmrlbmw@prism.gatech.edu (MARK WUTKA)
Subject: Baseball Signals
I figure I should get my two cents in on SOME rush topic before this
account runs out of money..
I think Geddy may also be an Expos fan, given his passion for baseball.
There are a couple of baseball references in Signals -- Line Drive
on the map, the positions (pitcher, 1st base, 3rd base) given for the
boyz, the credit to Warren Cromartie and the Montreal Expos and Intellivision
Baseball (yikes! I remember playing that!). Listing Geddy as the Pitcher
is quite funny to me, since he throws the songs at you, plus his voice
has a very high pitch. I also noticed, just a few months ago, that they
mention "Tokyo Cro" in the credits for p/g, which obviously came out after
Warren defected to Japan.
Mark
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1992 13:08:33 -0500
From: Scott Lawr Matthews <mrbungle@brahms.udel.edu>
Subject: NMS Convention ?
I have been sort of hibernating lately, but what is the latest news
regarding the NMS Convention ? I've heard that it will be June of
'93 in Toronto, but that's it. Any new developments ?
And in response to the favorite bands thing :
# 1 : Rush
# 2 : GWAR
# 3 : (tie) ELP/Yes/Mr. Bungle/Asia
Dream Theater/Indigo Girls/Fates'Warning
Jethro Tull/Megadeth/Marillion/TMBG
(just when you thought you had Rush fans figured out...)
Peace,
Scott
"For life's not a paragraph
and death, I think, is no parenthesis" Edward Estlin Cummings
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 13:14:59 EST
From: Doug White <dwhite@dsys.ncsl.nist.gov>
Subject: videos (Chron & Camera Eye), AFTK, religion
My wife & I popped into a video store right before Thanksgiving, and while
she was looking for some old MGM musicals, I noticed that rock videos were
in the same section. I wandered over to "R", and there were the Chronicles
video and Through the Camera Eye, and ESL & ASoH. I grabbed the first 2,
and watched 'em over the holiday. Not living near cable (& eMpTyV) this
was the first chance I had to check out the videos - at least the parts
not shown in concert.
Camera Eye was all "studio" stuff, the album tracks over shots of the
band or some directed story line - exceptions being Tom Sawyer from the
ESL video and footage of the recording of Vital Signs in the studio.
I thought it was interesting to see, 'cause I hadn't had access to it,
but I don't know if I'd run right out and buy a copy.
Chronicles had some of the same videos, Tom Sawyer being one, but there
were also some early live tracks and footage of CTTH and the Trees that
were neat to see. Red Sector A live was cool, too. (wish I'd caught the
p/g tour...) This I'll eventually pick up.
Anyway, these two videos lead me to a few questions and observations:
does Rush use wireless equipment on their guitars? I never get good
enough seats to see this at shows, and on the videos they're never
(that I saw) plugged in.
Has anyone noticed in the Subdivisions video, in the "basement bars" scene,
there's a guy holding a copy of the Signals LP (the back cover shows), and
in the next scene a couple of kids in the "high school halls" have Rush
T-shirts on?
In the Vital Signs video, Neil looks like he's got a microphone taped to
his chest. Is that _really_ how they record his tracks? Seems like there'd
be a lot of extra noise with that flopping around... any drummers care to
comment?
Anyone else think that the Body Electric video is a low-budget take-off of
the classic flop "Logan's Run" ?
lastly, I think this was asked before, but... anyone know where (if)
versions of the videos shown behind the band in concert are available?
particularly, I remember shots for Countdown from the Signals tour...
was there ever any regular video for that?
Okay, on to AFTK...
it seems that the Xanadu & Cygnus X-1 brouhaha has calmed down. this one
album seems to have spawned an unusual amount of debating. Can we call
this officially the Most Controversial Album? Neil ripped off Coleridge,
fantasized about a Time magazine article, paraphrased a Gary Cooper movie,
wrote one good track (AFTK) and ripped off one of his own lyrics for a
rinky-dink tune that's now a classic (CTTH), and pawned the rest of the
album off on Geddy. That's a good day's work, I'd say.
and on the same attitude, religion...
Bach was frowned on for writing religious lyrics to drinking tunes.
Early rock-n-roll was thought to have a beat that made kids think of sex.
Ozzy Ozbourne (or Sabbath?) was blamed for some kid's suicide.
Rush had a star in a circle on an album cover.
I was walloped by nuns in school for most of my formative years, and they
couldn't beat enough sense out of me to stop me from listening to the
stuff above. No skin off my nose if someone doesn't listen to what I do;
and I ignore what annoys me.
Oh, well. Down from the soapbox and back to work...
Mail Flames To: ghwbush@un.em.ployed Doug
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 14:02:24 EST
From: nicole principe <nprincip@darwin.cc.nd.edu>
Subject: whoa!
To whoever this is:
I seriously don't know why I'm doing this. I guess you could call me the casual
Rush fan who finds some of the overzealous fans rather amusing. But I didn't
come here to criticize. I like "Signals" and um, well, let's see, "Grace Under
Pressure" is pretty good and....oh, you all must think I'm a little crazy, but
I can't dance in seven and five yet, so I've got a ways to go.
If this is how I subscribe to the mailing list, that's what I'd like to do. If
this is being SENT on the mailing list, then hello cb! How are you? You never
thought I'd be writing this , did you?
If anyone can tell this lost soul how to subscribe to the mailing list, please
tell me. Am I supposed to put my address down? does this get put in TMNS? Oh
god!
Maybe I should come back later. Well, anyway, if anyone can tell me how to
get this newsletter, please write me at:
nprincip@darwin.cc.nd.edu
[ This is already taken care of. : rush-mgr ]
Your help would be greatly appreciated. I probably won't ever love 2112 (lynch
her! lynch her! they cried), but I do like some of Rush's later stuff, and I'd
like the newsletter, please. Thank you.
-nmp (I do know one good Rush
quote, but I'm scared
I'll mess it up and
you'll all jump
down my throat)
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Blake Butterworth <butterwo@rex.cs.tulane.edu>
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 13:08:22 CST
Subject: Re: Religion/Freewill/Roll the Bones (long)
> Date: Wed, 2 Dec 92 14:24:29 -0500
> From: jaeger@buphy.bu.edu (Gregg Jaeger)
> Subject: Religion/Freewill/Roll the Bones (long)
>
> >Best Examples IMHO: Freewill, Roll the Bones ("for the want of immunity
> >or a bowl of rice").
>
> "for the want of immunity or a bowl of rice" is an important `argument'
> for anyone to consider. But I don't see how it supports the idea
> that religious practice "won't make a damn bit of difference". On the
> contrary, a real concern for others (for example) _can_ make a
> difference with regard to AIDS and starvation. Funding for AIDS
> research, and Red Cross/Red Crescent food and UN action in Somalia,
> does make a difference. (I realize that Neil was probably aiming more
> at the old question of God's allowing suffering to exist _at all_
> here, but this is not the way the present post is using the lyrics).
>
I think people, especially like Mr. Peart who I think does not believe in
God, don't understand that there is a devil also in this world whose only goal
is to undo the work of God. I cannot truly answer why there is suffering and
evil going on in the world, only that it is a part of God's plan. He is the
only one who is truly all knowing and therefore is the only one who has the
answer. A good way to battle these problems (ones that we think we cannot
solve or help) is through prayer or "religious practice".
[ Much extra stuff deleted to save some space... : rush-mgr ]
> This is a rather more complex way of viewing things, but I don't see
> why martyrs can't be suicidal. Martyrdom is death for the cause, period,
> isn't it? Christ (presuming he actually was crucified, died, etc.)
> may have had "higher" motivation for allowing himself to be killed
> (most martyrs think they do) but that certainly doesn't preclude his
> doing so from being reasonably viewed as suicide.
>
> I agree that the song says that to die in vain is not to be a hero.
> But it can also be understood as saying Christ "set a bad example"
> by "making surrender _seem_ alright". But again, Neil is allowing
> the listener to decide who the "someone" who "set a bad example"
> is. As I said I personally think Neil _does_ see Christ as setting
> a bad example (but Neil is also mute about the "metaphysical"
> implications, or lack thereof, of Christ's martyrdom, letting us
> make our own decision about the Christian interpretation of it);
> but Christ might have set a bad example _incidently_ -- that is not
> the _issue_ of the song -- the issue of the song is the _perception_
> of the act of suicide and suicide-as-martyrdom by those _considering_
> suicide.
I agree that suicide is in vain. But to say that Christ's death was a
suicide is wrong. Christ did not want to die. He was human like everyone else
and was afraid to die. His death was necessary though. His "surrender", His
death was a total act of selflessness. His death was not a defeat, but the
greatest victory of all time, the greatest event of all time. He died for
the sins of all mankind for all times. His death opened the gates of heaven
to all people and gave us the power over evil. So how can one say that his
death was in vain or that He set a bad example.
Christ's teachings were and are still today very different from the ideals
and beliefs expressed by many people. He taught to "turn the other cheek" not
"an eye for an eye". He taught to be a servant not to be served. He taught do
unto others as you would have them do unto you. He taught humility and on and
on. His death is something that alot of people possibly can't understand. He
didn't fight or wage war or wasn't a great king. He was merely the son of a
common carpenter. I'm probably not expressing myself too well, but I can see
why someone like Mr. Peart may think that Christ committed suicide or set a bad
example or died in vain or that He gave up.
I like Rush's music, but I do not always agree with Mr. Peart's ideas. I
don't think he understands the true meaning of Christ's death. Of course, how
can he if his heart is not open to God?
Anyway, I'll get off of the pulpit. I hope I haven't offended anyone, but
this is a subject I feel stronly about, and I wanted to express some of my
views. (Rush-mngr: sorry for the long post)
Blake
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1992 14:13 EST
From: THE ARCHER <JJARNOT1%ITHACA.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: stuff
YO, I'm back again. Just a few short comments:
1. To Teddy Stedman: Alex got the ride in the airplane for
the Canadian Air Force. I got that right from the station that
broadcasted it.
2. Last time I checked we still lived in a society where it was ok
to express your opinion on different religious ideas. Neil can state
things however he damn well pleases, and if I as a christian take
offense to it, then I can take it up with him rather than sending
too many posts to the NMS. As Heinlein would have said, we don't know
and we have no way of knowing until we die, so stop worrying about it!
"If I could wave my magic wand..."
SAM
"jjarnot1@Ithaca.bitnet"
----------------------------------------------------------
From: MOLIVA@gab.unt.edu
Date: 3 Dec 92 13:27:16 CST6CDT
Subject: Eric Jung's Bass Ramblings & Cygnus X-1
I, too, play bass (though not well - at least I think I don't play
that well. . . although I CAN find my way around a Rush tune) and I
own a Rick 4001. I have found that you can get the ATWAS/ESL sound
out of it if you use the Rick-O-Sound jack and turn the treble pick-
up WAY up and mix in a little bass - it is especially clear if you
play high up on the neck (What You're doing section, for instance).
Anyway, thought you might be interested. As for the WAL, It is made
by a company in England called Electric Wood. The retail for one
like Ged's (Enamal finish, stereo XLR jacks, Gold Hardware etc,) is
about $6000.00. And, no, if you have the money, they are not too
terribly hard to come by. I remember reading that the bassist for
XTC picked his up for like $500.00 and didn't have any clue what
brand it was, he "just liked the way it played". Steinbergers are
too light and have a WAY too boomy sound. Just MHO, though.
I was reading in the last NMS that someone was disappointed that they
missed the Cygnus X-1 part of the medley. Don't be! They played
maybe thirty seconds of the opening riff - that's it. Do be sorry
that you missed Vital Signs, The Trees, and Analog Kid live - that
was the REAL TREAT!!!! And back to the bass thing one more time,
IMHO, without the Rickenbacker, I thought that the opening riff of
Cygnus as played on the RTB fourth leg sounded kind of wimpy. BYE!
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 17:51:34 GMT
From: Russell Marks (Zgedneil) <mr1cy1@greenwich.ac.uk>
Subject: Weapons and Black Holes
Wow this is really a time warp here, but nobody else answered it I
think... plus I don't like making real short posts. The more observant
of you may have noticed this.
Miguel asked in #567,
>3) I don't understand the connection between Cygnus X-I and Cygnus X-I book II
> Frankly they seem independent from each other to me. Someone care to tell
> me?
At the end of part 1, the main character enters the black hole - "every
atom torn apart" etc. He then emerges to find a world split asunder by
faith in/control of (not religion again!) two gods with what seem wildly
opposite values. And the rest is lyrics, to pseudocoin a phrase.
To my current favourite album - Signals (it seems to change more or less
daily, dunno why). More specifically, The Weapon. There's been a couple
of points in 'religion' posts saying 'what did Neil mean by "Is any
killer worth more than his crime?"'. Now I'll just quote that in
context -
"And those who push us down that they might climb -
Is any killer worth more than his crime?"
I don't think this level of literal interpretation - about the 'killer'
- can really be applied to many lyrics, even if they're extremely good
and interesting. I'm pretty sure the second line is metaphorical, in the
sense that - should we not just push them down too? Answers on a
postcard please.
As to whether Neil's lyrics help or hinder true tolerance of other
ideas. That's an interesting point. His ideas and world-view are quite
clear, it's fair to say, and I don't think he really uses views much
different from his as anything other than relatively negative examples.
I think Show Don't Tell is a good example of this. Please correct me
though if you think I'm wrong; or better still, can give some examples
of exactly how I'm wrong. Anyhow, I think only the individual can help
or hinder their own tolerance of other ideas. Roo-Dog Rip's a pretty
weird name, too. Or am I not being tolerant enough? :-)
Ah well, I'll just settle down here by the fireside to dream along with
me uncle. Red is such a nice colour, too.
-Rus
------------------------------- cut here -----------------------------
_ _
| | | |_ (|_ ) You have been watching, in order of appearance...
| |_| _| (| |) Russell Marks : Zgedneil : mr1cy1@greenwich.ac.uk
--- YYZ? Because YZ! RTB! ---
------------- One likes to believe in the spirit of email ------------
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Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 14:34:06 EST
From: nicole principe <nprincip@darwin.cc.nd.edu>
Subject: oops!
I'm sorry that I wasted valuable newsletter space asking how I could
subscribe. OK, maybe that was edited out. Oh, wow, is she new to the entire
e-mail thing?
To all of you people who compare Rush lyrics and Ayn Rand's objectivism:
Have you guys read her stuff? I'm not trying to flame anyone, but if you
haven't read it, then you really can't compare the two. I have read "The
Fountainhead", and I don't know if I can see similtarities betwwen the two
either, so I'm not going to try. I read that book long ago and although I
couldn't see any similarites with the Rush I've listened to, maybe there is.
I just didn't notice it.
BTW, I'm Catholic, and I think the lyrics are the best part of any Rush song, I
don't really have any problems with them. Uh- oh. Now you people are going
to send me all sorts of "Satanic" Rush lyrics. Do me a favor. Don't. I like
the lyrics that I've heard, and that's all that matters to me.
"well, now, oh green one, what have you heard," you might ask. Well, since I
haveheard of the band (group, bunch of guys?) I've listened to "2112", "Signals"
"Grace Under Pressure" "Hold Your Fire", and "Roll the Bones". I also heard
"Presto", but since it was about 2AM and I was falling asleep at the time (this
had nothing to do with the music, mind you), I don't remember much of it.
Anyway, "Signals" is my favorite. It has the best balance of keyboards and
guitar, with "Grace Under Pressure" second after that. I know I'm gonna be
lynched for this (let's try not to pick on the new girl too much, please?),
but I HATE 2112.
The story is cool, but I just hate it. Geddy sounds like Alvin from Alvin and
the Chipmunks, and the music itself I find obnoxious. I need balance between
keyboard and guitar, soft and hard, loud and quiet. 2112 this is not. My
apologies.
If anyone would like to comment on this tirade, remember I don't get the list
yet, so if you want to eduacte me on matters i seem to know nothing
about, you will have to write me personally. You cna flame me on the list. I
don't need or want personal hate mail. See you all later!
[ Personal flames are NOT tolerated on the list. : rush-mgr ]
-Nicole
(nprincip@darwin.cc.nd.edu)
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: 03 Dec 1992 14:47:27 -0500 (CDT)
From: Orchestral Bloodbath <II67@vaxb.acs.unt.edu>
Subject: Welp...
Chad Hutchinson ---> Welp, down in the two Texas shows I went
to (San Antonio, then Dallas the next night), Primus played
one riff off of Cygnus X-1. T'was brillig, I believe. Les
came out on stage, got at the corner and screamed: "Hello,
Dallas! We're PRIMUS!" Then he played the first bass line to
Cygnus X-1 Book 1 real quick (ba-BA-duh-da-da) then entered
into his set. The crowd went apesh*t, to say the least! :)
Robert Graves ---> Thanks for filling in the info. about the
'Jam...it was after MY time, so I knew nothing detail-wise!
We've been talking about Geddy lately, and his use of
different basses. How they sound...how they look, etc. What
guitar do you think was the best one that Alex used? I am not
musically inclined (which explains why I go to UNT!), but I
always liked his Gibson and would die to see him strum it
again on-stage. Opinions?
MMc - Matthew McGarity - II67@vaxb.acs.unt.edu
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Rohit Keswani <keswani@UMDNJ.EDU>
Subject: Big bands
To: rush@syrinx.umd.edu
I had said that Rush was too big a band to play SNL, but
someone apparently feels this is not so, since Tin Machine and the
Rolling Stones (from what I've been told) have played SNL.
There is a difference between being big and being popular. Tin
Machine, as great an artist as Bowie may be, doesn't even compare
in my opinion. Not only are they not too big, they are not
incredibly popular either. If you just take Bowie, he's quite
popular, but I still don't consider him big. I don't think Bowie
could sell out arenas nearly as well as Rush.
The Rolling Stones are popular, and they were big. I'm not
sure if they would still be able to sell out. I like some of their
songs, but I wouldn't care to go see them in concert, and I don't
know too many people that would (OK...now there are going to be
tons of ..."but I would go ...and so would I!"...fine...I just said
that personally I don't know of too many people who would). Most
have realized (especially after that pitiful ABC special) that the
Stones are really getting old.
Now if you wanted a good example to couterstrike my statement,
it would have been "The Boss" (Springsteen). He's popular...he's
big too....but he crashed and burned on the last album and so
that's why he appeared on SNL (and his gross concert earnings, from
what I read in USA today, were only a bit higher than Rush's..maybe
not even if you take into account the number of performances each
carried out. He didn't even make the top 10).
Basically, Rush may not be all that popular, but, as far as I'm
concerned, they're big.
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1992 16:23:50 -0500
From: Chad H Hutchinson <06819@brahms.udel.edu>
Subject: Shirts and compliation
Hi kids,
Two quick things:
1) What do the shirts look like? I'm new and I wanted to know the design
before I ordered (or missed the chance to get a cool shirt).
2) This compilation that's in the works sounds really good. I prefer CD, but
oh well, I'll but it. Is there anything inparticular that's still needed
to finish it? If so, let me know. I'll see what I can do and I'm glad
to help in any way I can.
-!!- John Larroquette mentioned Rush last night on the Tonigh Show with Jay
Leno. He was listing the bands that his younger son listens to and he
listed the almighty Rush first, BEFORE Led Zeppelin. Gotta love it.
--Ghost
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 92 16:41:43 -0500
From: meg@syrinx.umd.edu (******* Meg *******)
Subject: NMS Tapes & Shirts
Tapes: I saw the list of shorter songs that was possibly going to be on the
NMS tape -- I think rare stuff would be more appropriate like "Battlescar",
"Pieces of Eight", etc. And some short live songs. It's a good idea to do two
tapes, one with that and one with long live songs. If anyone who lives in
Hawaii has any of these on vinyl (and would be willing to let me tape it
directly to a DAT from a record player) let me know! I'll be out in Oahu for 3
weeks over xmas break and would love to get some on tape. I also had a good
idea to put on the tape: I came across this part of a bootleg, probably PoW
tour, where Neil's drums go out and Alex starts jamming on his guitar. Geddy
later joins in, and at the end Alex says "I bet you didn't know I could do
that!" Anyone know which show this was, and have a better copy than I do?
One more thing: what would people like to see on the tape "booklet"? I thought
of having people send in pictures that they took of Rush in concert, anyone
else have ideas?
-Meg
meg@syrinx.umd.edu
ps. Anyone wanting info on NMS shirts e-mail me, they'll be ready Friday.
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 03 Dec 1992 16:22:18 EST
From: rsw2@Lehigh.EDU (ROBERT S. WAGNER)
Subject: Signals and others
Replying to what Wayne Torman said about _Signals_- I'd agree that it really
isn't one of their best (in my opinion.) However, Subdivisions is probably my
favorite Rush song (although it's so damn hard to pick just one, isn't it?)
Maybe _Signals_ was a disappointment, but my opinion's that _Presto_ was
the band's single biggest letdown to date. I was very pleasantly surprised
when _Roll the Bones_ came out and I found it to be the excellent album that
it is...I thought they might've been on an uncontrollable slide downhill after
_Presto_...
What kind of expectations does everyone have for the next album? They'll
have to put something pretty damn impressive together to match what the fans
thought of _RTB_...
_2112_ their best? I can see where the argument comes from...but...I'd have
to say that _Moving Pictures_ was their best. Sure, I know, everyone and their
uncle has it...but it's probably their only album for which I can honestly say
I like every single song a whole lot...
Oh, and I'm an industrial engineering student, and my 2nd favorite band is
(gulp) The Cure...(if that's not flame material I dunno what is...)
--Rob
----------------------------------------------------------
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Copyright The Rush Fans Mailing List, 1992.
Editor, The National Midnight Star
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End of The National Midnight Star Number 575
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